Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 23, 1993 TAG: 9304230479
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
You acknowledge that there are racial problems in our communities and then declare that everything was just dandy before the articles in the newspaper. Dandy for whom? Why did "most students . . . not even think twice about the situation"? How do you know "the school took care of the problem"?
Schools are only beginning to learn how to handle these problems more effectively and sensitively. If we all don't work to make bridges for understanding between people of different races, where are our communities heading? If we don't discuss the problems and instead shove them under a rug, we may indeed be taken back to the '60s.
The best way to combat prejudice and ignorance is through education - including knowledge of the problems at hand. Maybe Franklin County High School and other school systems will learn how to deal with racial problems better in the future because of this incident.
I certainly hope that sensitive writers like Mary Bishop will continue to report about racial issues in our community so that we can all move forward together.
KELLY E. BENNETT\ DALEVILLE
by CNB